A MESSAGE PRESENTED AT THE officials’ inauguration FELLOWSHIP OF

perioperative nursing school students set “u” on 21st February, 2011

Speaker: pastor tony Fulani

Topic: Be your brothers keepers

Text: genesis 4:9

In Genesis 3:9 God asked a previous question “where are you”. After man has discovered
where he is in relation to God and issues pertaining to God’s kingdom, the next question he
will need to answer is “where is your brother” Genesis 4:9a. John 1:38-41

Cain, as a result of jealousy, hatred and envy has cut short the life of Abel his brother. Cain
cut short his brother’s life, service to God, ministry and prospect by a brutal stroke. God
came and questioned him “where is your brother”

Cain’s answer (verse 9b) showed that he did not recognize his responsibility of protecting
and keeping his brother.

Brothers and sisters, we are live in a world of companionship and relationship. No man is
an island. However intimidating your virtues and values are, you need others. People need
to contribute into your life just like you are under obligation to God to contribute to other
people’s lives. And as we move around here in the school, in the hostel, in the operating
theatre departments where we have our practical, in our places of work, and at home, do
we ever reflect on this one fact that God expects us to be our brothers’ keeper?

A TIMELY REMINDER
Today the Lord wanted us to know that we are not living alone in the world. We are our
brother’s keepers. The welfare of all the people we know by name and even those we did
not know by name but whom circumstances of life and God placed across our way or
intend to place across our ways in the future; their welfare are on us; God wanted us to
know that their salvation, safety and welfare are on us. If like Abel, their lives, ministry and
prospects in life are cut short; the Lord will be asking us “where is your brother”

God placed a severe sentence on Cain for killing his brother. He became a vagabond and
fugitive. He was cursed. The ground he tills as a means of livelihood was no longer to yield
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its strength to him. Many means of livelihood have been cut off, many businesses have
closed down because owners of such missed an important point that they are God’s
stewards and are blessed so they could be a source of blessing to others.

The severity of divine punishment on Cain was to impress upon man’s conscience the
sanctity of blood. God seeks to impress upon man’s mind that “all lives are precious”
otherwise, life will become cheap, living will become dangerous and bloodshed will be
meaningless. Men will devour and kill one another like beasts.

By punishing Cain severely, God seek to make us recognize that we are our brother’s
keeper. He seeks to make us accountable for the love, care, safety, support and security of
other fellow human beings even when their spiritual status or spiritual convictions differ
from ours. All men are from one physical family and therefore of the same blood. We are to
be safety conscious. How we use and dispose of contaminated objects, sharps, our security
dogs, uncompleted wells and septic tank in our premises are all important to God. If as a
result of our use or misuse of any of these peoples’ lives, ministry and prospects in life is
cut short, the Lord will be ask you “where is your brother”

Ezekiel 3:17 Believers are watchmen over the souls of men among whom they live and
work. Ministers and leaders are gatekeepers over the souls of men in the nation, society
and in the environment. We have responsibility towards the churched and the unchurched,
the children, the men and women, the poor or rich, the sick or righteous, the sinners or
saints, the natives or the non-indigenes in the vicinity or within our realms of influence. We
are accountable to God for the salvation of all around us. God will ask us question
concerning them “Where is your brother?”

Believers are watchmen over everyone within their realm of influence whether they bare
leadership or church tittles or not. Believers are watchmen over everyone within their
realms of influence whether the people concerned realize it or accept it or not. We are
watchmen over their souls. God will ask us in the end “did you ever preach to them. Did you
do enough to get them saved?”

How concerned are we about the souls and eternal welfare of our brother in-law or sister
in-law, your cousins, uncles, your saloon managers or barbers, the people we buy from in
the market, our house girls, our neighbors, co-landlords, our spouses and children; We
should do something for them while there is still time. We should give them the bread of

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life before they die. If you fold your hands and feel unconcerned, after this time and after
this life, there will be judgment. God will ask you “where is your brother”

THE NEXT LINE OF ACTION

Now that we know that we are our brothers’ keepers, what can we do? Or what should we
do?

1. There should be planning and programmes aimed at recovering our lost or

endangered “brothers” Genesis 14:13-14. We must plan and execute a rescue
mission. There must be individual and corporate outreaches and evangelism to all
whom we have identified as our “brothers”
2. We must look for them. We must visit them if they are close by. We can give them a
call or send SMS.
3. We must love them, we must help them, and we must woo them with love and
affection into Christ if they are sinners or back into Christ if they have backslid. We
must support them and continue to do so till the life of Christ is formed in them.

Exodus 4:27. Moses ran away from Egypt. He has been away for 40years because of a
wrong he did. He was ashamed and discouraged to come back. God had to send Aaron
to go and look for him. If we search very well there may be people like that in our class,
in our churches, in the fellowship, in the neighborhood or society who have already
strayed from Christianity or from the narrow way. If we do not search for them, we may
not find them and they may be lost forever. Some of them like Jonah are tied down by
sin, guilty conscience and shame. We must look for them. Someone must seek for and
run after the backslider, hold their hands, embrace them, weep with them encourage
them and bring them back to the fold. If our neighbours, classmates, co-workers and
family members perish, their blood will be required from our hands.

We must evolve opportunities, time and wisdom to witness to the Muslims among us
and even the nominal Christians around us. As long as God has not written off anyone,
no matter how long they have been living in sin or with different belief, we cannot write
them off. We must be concerned.

Nursing and Medical practice in general is born in ‘hearts’ of Mission. God inspire our
pioneers to come this way because he noted increasing selfishness and self
centeredness in the world. Even today many people are left out there in the cold,
attacked by physical or spiritual robbers and left half dead. Some are destitute of basic
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necessities of life and are under heavy psychological burden. They need a friend to talk
to who could hold their hands and pray with them. Luke 10:30,33-35 They want a
friend who could adjust his/her schedule, pour oil and wine on their wounds, bandage
their broken hearts and take them to Christ’s Clinic. Jesus Himself came to the world as
a good Samaritans. He saved us from the shackles of Satan and sin. Now its our turn to
lend a helping hand. What will you do? What will I do for others who are fainting and
hurting around us? What are we going to do in our lifetime to make this world a better
place for others and to make life worth living for the sick, the hurting and the
underprivileged in the society?

Jeremiah 38:6. Jeremiah has preached and prayed for others. Now his turn came. He
was arrested by the king and cast into a miry well or dungeon. Persecuted, isolated and
sinking in the mire; his spirit, his courage too began to sink. Nobody asked of his
welfare, no friend called, no acquaintance or close person came to find out where he is
and what is happening to him. All the people he helped where nowhere to be found.

Brothers and sisters, we have people here today who are going to be appointed as
fellowship leaders. Sometimes ago too, the Association leaders and Class governor,
governess were sworn in. We also have Lecturers, tutors, coordinator, instructors and
preceptors, matrons etc including our spouses and even children. Undoubtedly, some, if
not all of these people have responsibility of care, support and watch over us. They have
and are still willing to contribute their best to help us achieve our God-ordained goals in
life. However, we should know that love and care is best enjoyed if reciprocal. It will be
unfortunate if such people get into trouble or have problem or have their state of health
challenged and nobody to ask for them. It will be unfortunate if they have problem with
their academics, finances, children or spouses or in their workplaces or if they are
absent from the class, fellowship and group discussion; it will be unfortunate they are
absent and nobody is caring enough to find out what happened to them, where they are
and what they are doing.

Acts 10:38 Believers like Christ should be Good Samaritan in the world. God has
endowed us with the responsibility for love, care, support and safety towards our
brothers, classmates, colleagues, relations and fellow human beings within our realm of
influence. We are and we should be our brothers keepers.

EXCEEDINGLY GREAT REWARD

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If we do these things, and do it faithfully, if we do so consistently throughout our course
here and beyond, if you develop a nature like Christ who is always seeking the welfare
of others, if God find out that the “U” of your set becomes a uniqueness of a set united
in spreading love, affection and joy to others, what will God do?

1. Jeremiah 39:16-18
2. Proverbs 11:25
3. Psalm 41:1-3